Bungie has committed to returning its popular live service shooter, Destiny 2, and improving its struggling extraction shooter, Marathon. The studio, which halted development on Destiny 2 this year, said the Destiny franchise was “foundational” to its future and promised new content for players. Bungie also announced it was restoring previously removed campaigns, destinations, and raids to Destiny 2 for all players.
The Sony-owned developer announced its reversal on Destiny as part of a studio update where it shared its plans for the future of the company and its franchises. In a video announcement Monday, Bungie’s new leadership, which includes studio head Poria Torkan and Marathon general manager Josh Deane, said the developer intended to earn back the trust of players.
“We aren’t just listening to feedback, we understand your disappointment. We are not asking you to trust what we say today. We know that trust must be earned through the quality of our games, the decisions we make, and how consistently we show up for our players,” Torkan and Deane said in a message posted on the Bungie website.
Torkan said Bungie’s ambitions as a studio had stalled as it lost sight of what players wanted. He announced that the studio would return to the franchise it abandoned in June.
“Destiny is foundational to Bungie’s future. We have more stories to tell, new worlds to build, but we have to do it right and give our teams the time they need to do justice to this amazing universe,” he said. “All of this is to say, we are not done with Destiny.”
The new Bungie leadership said player reaction to Destiny 2’s final update, Monuments of Triumph, made a “real impact.” Tens of thousands of Destiny players rallied to play Destiny 2 when the final content update dropped in June.
“We want to return Destiny to its original promise, to recapture the qualities that have always made it special. The awe-inspiring mystery, meaningful discovery, and a community of Guardians coming together against impossible odds,” Torkan said.
Bungie will restore previously removed content to Destiny 2
Photo Credit: Bungie
Vaulted Destiny 2 Content Coming Back
Bungie announced that it had begun work to restore removed Destiny 2 content that players can no longer experience today. The developer will bring back vaulted campaigns, destinations, and raids to the shooter for all Destiny 2 players.
“We understand that removing these experiences had a lasting impact on player trust and enjoyment of Destiny. Destiny 2 is more than just the content itself. It is a place where players have built memories together, formed lasting friendships, and shared experiences that have stayed with them for years,” Torkan said.
Bungie said restoring older content to the game would take time, and it would share more details in the coming months. It also said it would share its vision for the future of Destiny, including new game content, soon.
Bungie Will Evolve Marathon
In addition to returning to Destiny 2, Bungie is also making major changes to Marathon. The extraction shooter launched in March to critical acclaim, but has struggled to attract players with its hardcore design choices.
Bungie said the game was never intended to replace Destiny and acknowledged that it “did not reach as many players as we had hoped.” The studio announced that it would evolve Marathon beyond its genre constraints.
“We’re going to expand Marathon to a deeper survival experience, that gives players more ways to take on this dangerous alien world,” Deane said.
That would involve the game getting dedicated PvP and PvE modes in addition to its default PvPvE mode. Last week, Bungie announced that the game’s upcoming major update—which includes a PvE mode and an experimental team deathmatch mode—was delayed to December.
Marathon’s next major update will arrive in December
Photo Credit: Bungie
In addition to the updates about Destiny and Marathon, Bungie committed to increased transparency around its development priorities and more consistent communication with its communities. The studio said its future depended on making clear choices about its projects and putting players at the centre of its initiatives.
“We have to find a way back to making games that we want to play, but with you at the center,” the company said.
“We’ve made several changes with how we operate by simplifying our priorities, reducing competing initiatives, moving decisions closer to the teams building our games, and changing how we measure success to place greater emphasis on player satisfaction,” it added.
“None of those changes earn trust on their own. What matters is whether they help us make better decisions, deliver stronger experiences more consistently, and communicate with greater clarity when plans change.
“There is still a great deal of work ahead and challenges to overcome, but we believe deeply in this studio, our people, and the games we are building. But belief is not enough. It’s on us to prove progress through what we deliver. Thank you for continuing to challenge us, and for caring so deeply about the worlds we create. Keep holding us accountable. We are ready to do the work.”
